Sound clarifier



Mar. 6, 1923. t

C. W. JOHNSON SOL-IND CLARIFIER Original Filed Mar.

1920 53 disais-sheet l INVENTOR ,4 TTOR/VEYS Mar. 6, 1923. A 1,442,855

C. W. JOHNSON SOUND CLARIFIER Original Filed Mar. 20, 1920 2 sheets-sham/N VEN TOI? TTUH/VEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

UNITED ASTATES 1,441,855 lPATENT oFFlcE.

CORREL WELTON JOHNSON, 0F NEW YORK, N'. Y.

SOUND CLARIFIER.

Application led Karch 20, 1920, Serial N0. 367,412. Renewed July 1,1922. Serial No. 572,306.

To all whom 'it may concern:

- Be it known that I, CoRREL WELTON JOHN- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, inthe county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved SoundClarifier, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

rlhe invention relates to sound clarifiers for sound producing orreproducing instruments such as shown and described in the LettersPatent of the United States, No. 1,217O,0(), granted `to. me onSeptember 11, 191 j The object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved soundclarifier more especially desi rned for use in theamplifying chamber o a phonograph and arranged to eliminate. dead airspaces and to insure a circulation of live air throughout the length ofthe amplifying chamber to induce clarification of the sounds and toavoid mullling of the same.

Another object is to prevent the formation of counter currents, eddiesand other interfering motions within the amplifying chamber, thusinsuring the production ofa strengthened, amplified, tensified andclarified tone and eliminating flator inharmonious sounds.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improved sound clarifieras applied to a phonograph of usual construction;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation ofthe improved soundclarifier on the line 2--2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a sectional front View of the same on the line 3-3 of Figure2;

Figure it is a rear end view of the sound clarifier looking in thedirection of the arrows on the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of a modified form ofthe sound clarifier;

Figure G is a sectional front elevation of the same on the line 6 6 ofFigure 5; and

Figure -7 is a rear end elevation of the same.

The improved sound clarifier is shown applied to a phonograph of generalconstruction and having a casing 10 provided with a hinged cover 1l andhaving a top 12 supporting a drive mechanism 13 for rotating theplatform 14 carrying the record 15 engaged by the stylus 16 held on thesound box 17 mounted on the tone arm 18 adapted toswing on the top 12.The sound arm 18 is connected with a sound conveyor 2O attached to theunder side of the top 12 and this sound conveyor 2O is graduallyenlarged toward its outlet 21 which extends horizontally and isconnected with the rear end or throat 22 of an amplifyin i chamber, boxor horn 23 mounted in t e casing 10 and having its front end 24 openinginto the atmosphere surrounding the phonograph.

Into the outlet 21 of the sound conveyor 20 fits a throat member 30provided with a comparatively large central opening 31- openL lng intothe throat 22 of' the `amplifying' vchamber 23. The throat member 30 isprovided adjacent the corners with small openings 32 leach having aflaring mouth 33 opening into the discharge end 21 of the sound conveyor20. The rear edges of each mouth 33 are knife-like and hence form noobstruction to the passage of a portion of the sound waves comingthrough the sound conveyor 20, it being understood that the majorportion of the said sound waves passes through the central opening 31and the remaining portions of the sound waves pass through the apertures32.

Within the amplifying chamber 23 is arranged a hollow deflectmg means,preferably in the form of one, two or more hollow deflectors 40: forinstance, two such flectors as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, or asirlxgle one as illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7. ach of the deflectors40 has a pointed inner end 41 in register with the central opening 31 ofthe throat member 30, and each deflector 40 has one or, more tubularconnections with the corresponding aperture 32. Each tubular connectioncomprises a short tube 50 screwed or otherwise secured into the wall ofthe corresponding aperture 32 and this tube 50 projects horizontallyfrom the front of the throat 30 and telescopes with the rear end of atube 51 order to direct the sound waves coming through the tubularconnections from the apertures 32 in a forward direction within thecorresponding defiectors 40 the rear ends thereof are provided withplugs 42 provided with inclined faces to direct the sound wavesforwardly within the hollow deflectors 40. It will be noticed that bythe arrangement described the tubular connections connecting the throat30 with the deflecting means form a support for tle deflecting means tohold the latter within the amplifying chamber 23 and with the walls ofthe deflecting means practically parallel with the walls of theamplifying chamber 23 to provide a symmetrical, uniform passagewaybetween the walls of the deflecting means and the walls of theamplifying chamber. In case two or more defiectors 40 are used then thesame are connected with each other near their rear ends by a suitablebridge or bracket 43,' as plainly shown in Figures l, 2 and 3.

It is understood that the amplifying chamber 23 gradually increases fromthe throat to the mouth, and the deflectors 40 are correspondinglyconstructed, but their open forward ends preferably terminate adistancefrom the mouth 24 of the amplifying chamber 23. By thearrangement described dead air spaces in the amplifying chamber and thedeflectors 40 are eliminated and hence the .sound waves are not liabletobe mufHed as a free circulation'of live air is tones which coalesce withthe clarified sound waves passing through the amplifier 23. It will benoticed that the enclosed air molecules are divided and serve to preventinterference of counter currents or eddies. due to vibration of thesound waves resulting from oscillation ofthe air molecules transmittingsound, whereby the sound is strengthened, amplified and tensified andthe tone clarified so that all flatness of sounds out ofharmony with thesounds sought to be reproduced are eliminated.

It is understood that a hollow deflector of shell formation is utilizedas an auxiliary resonator of smaller compass than the amplifying chamberto preserve the delicate harmonics heretofore lost with thereverberations at the restricted end of the amplifying chamber, and asthe smaller deflector 4:0 gives greater response to tones of highregister and is used in combination with a resonator of larger compasswhich has a greater response to tones of lower and middle register itinsures a further clarification of the sounds emitted at the mouth v241and adds to thetone quality.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent pointed inner end and having an open outer end, thesaid deflector coacting with the walls of the amplifier for deflectingthe mavjor portion of the sound waves delivered by the said soundconveyor against the walls of the amplifying chamber, and a connectionconnecting the said Sound conveyor with the interior of the saiddeflector adjacent the closed pointed end to conduct the remainingportion of the sound waves coming from the sound conveyor through thesaid deflector.

2. A sound clarifier for a sound producing instrument having anamplifying chamber and a sound conveyor connected thereto, said clariercomprising a hollow resonating defiector positioned within theamplifying chamber and having a closed pointed inner end and having anopen outer end, the said deiector coacting with the walls of theamplifier for deiiecting the major portion of the sound waves deliveredby the said sound conveyor against the walls of the amplifying chamber,a throat member fitted into the outlet of the sound conveyor and havinga central opening in register with the said pointed inner end of theresonating deflector, the said throat member having an auxiliaryopening, and a connecting tube connecting the said auxiliary openingwith the interior of the said deflcctor adjacent the closed pointedinner end.

3. A sound clarifier for a sound producing instrument having anamplifying chamber and a sound conveyor connected thereto7 saidclarifier comprising a hollow resonatingdefiector positioned within theamplifying chamber and having a closed pointed inner end and having anopen outer end, the said deflector coacting with the walls of theamplifier for deflecting the major portion of the sound waves deliveredby thevsaid sound conveyor against the walls of the amplifying chamber,a throat member fitted into the outlet of the sound conveyor and havinga central opening in register with the said pointed inner end of theresonating deector, the said throat member having an auxiliary openingand a connecting tube connecting the said auxiliary opening` With theinterior of the. said deflector adjacent the closed pointed inner end,the said connecting tube forming a support for the detlector and beingmade in telescoping sections.

4. A. sound clarifier for a sound producing instrument having` anamplifying chamber and a sound conveyor connected thereto, saidclarifier comprising a hollow resonating deflector positioned Within theamplifylng chamber and having a closed pointed inner end and having anopen outer end, the said deflector coacting with the Walls of theamplifier for deflecting the major portion of the sound waves deliveredby the said sound conveyor against the Walls of' the amplifying chamber,a throat memn ber fitted into the outlet of the sound conveyor andhaving a central opening in register with the said pointed inner end otthe resonating deflector, the said throat member having at least onecomparatively small opening provided with a flaring mouth opcning intothe sound conveyor, and a. tube engaging the said small opening andleading into the said resonating deflector adjacent the pointed endthereof.

A sound clarifier :tor a. sound producing instrument having anamplifying chamber and a sound conve-yor Jconnected thereto, saidclarifier comprising a. hollow resonating deflector positioned withinthe amplifying chamber and having a closed pointed inner end and havingan open outer end. the said deflector coacting with the `walls ot theamplifier for defleeting the major portion of the sound Waves deliveredby the 'said sound conveyor against the walls of the am plifyingchamber, a throat member fitted into the outlet ot the sound conveyorand having a central opening in register with the said pointed inner endot the resonating de flector, the said throat member having at least onecomparatively small opening provided with a flaring mouth opening intothe sound conveyor, and a tube engaging the said small opening andleading into the said resona-ting deflector adjacent the pointed endthereof` the said tube forming a support ior the defiector to hold thesaine in spaced relation to the ivalls of the amplifying chamber.

(i. The combination with an ai'nplitying chamber ot rectangular crosssection and tapered toward its inlet end` ol a sound cone veyor and aclarifier embodying a substan tially pyramidal shell supportei' chamberto deflect the sound Wav" forml}v therearouinl. said shell beine closedat its apexV and be tapered end terminating a of the sound conveyor@`shell terminating withii distance Ytrom the mouth q 515 T. Thecombination horn of a reproducing instrument t g in one. direction and asound convcyn iet-ted thereto.

of a deflector positioned in horn and ha v# ing an inlet tapered navins:'the 'Je ainplix'ying if* instrument 'l thc-,rs- E and av sound conveyori' an improved sound clarin shell defiector positioned i and. supportedindi-pe t0 receive sound imite at spaced points ali mentions.

lll. A shell de lector i box or tone chamber. havin lar supports 'forthe p said shell doflector in proper A ll.. A system oi inipifffwl otmultiple resonai' k said deflect having its Walls adjacent its a saidapex conve x' its opposite wall Vl ing the .sound fires into one unitThe conrliiininfproducii .ien taperiir tion and a sound ronvorvi of adeflerlor ot .bcli closed iincr end a Af" l.

r insti;

Sound waves into ijle

